Ironing-machine.



F. C WENDELL, DECD. T. s. WENDELL. ADMINISTRATRIX.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-1, 1913.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

LEWA

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I F. C. WENDELL, DECD T. s. .IENDELL, ADMINISTRATRIX.

IRONING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

haiku I 19 'vtma 00cc 1%7 any U TED STA rATEN FRED C. WENDELL, DECEASED, BY THERESA S. WENIDELL, ADMINISTRATRIX, OF NEW GEM-4E,

YORK, N. Y.

IRON IN G-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Apr. 27,1915.

Application filed February 1, 1913. Serial No. 745,701.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that FRED C. WENDELL, late a citizen of the United States, deceased, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto ironing machines of the type wherein a heated drum combined with pressure rollers and an apron are used for feeding moist fabrics around the drum and pressing them around its periphery, whereby the ironing is accomplished.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an efiicient and improved ironing machine.

Another object is to provide a machine having improved means for ironing both sides of the fabrics when fed therethrough in a single operation.

A further object is to provide improved automatic mechanism to prevent undue lateral shifting of the apron, operatedby the shifting tendency of the apron.

A still further objectis to provide proved means for maintaining a uniform pressure at each end of the pressure rollers, and to maintain said pressure uniform at all times.

According to the invention; the usual heated drum is ers for ironing one side of the fabrics fed thereto, ironing the opposite side is mounted to rotate oppositely immediately below the former. Endless aprons cooperate with said drums by rolling around and in contact with their peripheries. Said aprons are combined with guide-rolls adjacent said drums whereby portions of the aprons cooperate with said rolls to reverse the fabric as it leaves the first drum and present it to the periphery of the second drum for ironing its opposite side. The fabric is conveyed from the latter drum by its cooperating apron to a delivery table.

Air cylinders are provided for each of the bearings of said pressure rollers, and pistons therein are connected to said whereby the pressure of compressed air is applied upon said pressure rollers to'excrt a uniform-pressure thereof against the periphery of said drum and the intervening fabrics. The air pressure is reversed and applied to the opposite side of the piston for lar to t said dogs is in engagement, and to restore provided with pressure rolland a secondary similar drum for bearings,

posed horizontally in the machine and paralmaintaining the rollers away from said drum when the machine is not in use.

Mechanism is ,provided. for automatically preventing excessive apron shifting, and comprises a guide roll adaptable to swing angularly to said apron. One of the roll journals is seated on rollers in a boX which is slidable to affect saidswinging. Dogs are mounted eccentrically to said journal and are adaptable to cooperate with fixed toothed portions. A lever fulcrumed to said box is actuated by the shifting of the apron, against which it'rests,

toothed portion, whereby due to said ecc'entric mounting of the dogs the roll is caused to swin to the right or left of a perpendicue apron, depending upon which of the apron to its true position. An undue amount of apron shifting toward the mech anism will actuate said lever to swing the roller to cause a recession of the apron away from the mechanism, and an undue shifting of the apron in the opposite direction will cause the mechanism to swing the roller oppositely to restore the apron.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a general side elevation of the ironing machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, showing the air pressure device for the pressure-rolls. Fig. 3 1s a sectional elevation of the ironing machine. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the automatic apron controlling mechanism for the ironing achine. Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4. ig. 6 1s a plan view of Fig. 4.

A hollow steel cylinder, or ironing drum 1 is rotatably mounted on the machine frame rotatably' mounted immediate y below the drum 1, by its journals 6 running in bearings 7 on said frame. Said drums are dlslelly to each other, and steam is admitted within the drums through the hollow journals 3 and 6, whereby the drum peripheries are heated and rendered suitable for ironing. An endless apron 8 cooperating with the to cause one or the other of said dogs to engage its cooperatingunder an idle-roll 10, over an apron-control n guide-roll 11, around idlers 12, 13, under a slack roll 14, over an idler 15, and back to I the drum. With the drum 5 co'ciperates an feed-apron toward the first of said pressure along receptacle 52 .under an idler 24,

44 meshes. with a endless apron 16 which encircles it in contact with its periphery, and extends therefrom over an idle-roll 17, from there over 'and around a drive-roll 18, thence over an idler 19, under a slack roll 20, around idlers 21, 22, over an apron-control guide-roll 23, diagonally upward and around an idler 25, to an idler 26, and back to the drum. All of said rolls are provided with suitable bearings secured to the machine frame 2. The portion of the apron 16 from roll 25 to roll 26- is approximately parallel to the portion of the apron 8 from roll 9. to roll .10, and at the roll 9 the apron 16is in :rolling contact with the apron 8, so thatboth of said portions run in contact with each other toward the drum 5, due to e ap ns.

,Pressure rollers 28, preferably five in .mimbenfeoiSperate with the periphery of side thereof for. fabrics thereagainst, and a dram louponi pressing the 29 provided at th the upper feeding side slopes diagonally upward I rollers 28, and conveys the fabrics thereto. Said feedapron passesaround a board 31, the sharp edge32 of which 's disposed between the pressure-roller 28 30 of the machine,

by a roll 33, mounted in a bearing 34 upon .the machine-frame 2. a

The driving mechanism of the machine comprises a. drive-shaft 37 which carries a pinion 38 meshing with a gear 39 keyed to the journal 6 whereby thedrum, 5 is driven in a.c1ockwise direction as viewed in the on the roll 17', and a sprocket 41 on said roll is connectedby means of chain 42 to a sprocket 43 upon the roll 18 which drives the apron 16. The. gear 39 1 meshing with a similar gear rotates the drum 1 in an opposite direction to the drum. 5 and at the same speed. Gear roll 9, which drives the. apron 8, and a s rocket 46 keyed to said roll drives all of t e pressure rollers 28 by means of sprockets 47 and sprocket chains 48. A sprocket 49 on drive-shaft 37 and a chain 50 therefor drive a-sprocket 51 fixed to roll 33 whereby the feed-a ron is driven. I

- The moist rovided at the feed side of the machine. en ironing, the operator spreads the fabric flat-and places it running in opposite directions.

and the periphery of the drum 1, and it extends around and is driven 44, keyed to the journal 3,

gear 45 fixed on the drivefabrics to be roned are kept in ofi laterally to fitted in the machine-frame 2. Said apron then feeds the fabric under a straightening roll 54, held in yokes 55 secured to frame 2, and into the machine between the first pressure-roller 28 and the periphery of the drum. It is then carried around the drum 1, in contact with its hot surface, under the successive pressure rollers 28, and between the endless apron 8 and the drum, during which course the fabric is thoroughly ironed on one side. From the drum 1 the fabric is carried over the roll 9 and between the portions 8 and 16 of the aprons 8 and 16 to the secondary drum 5. In its passage over the roll 9 and through said portions of the aprons the fabric is reversed, so that its opposite side is presented to the hot surface of the drum 5, and being held pressingly thereto by the a ron 16 running in contact therewith the abric is thoroughly ironed upon its opposite side while carried around this drum. Upon leaving the drum 5, the fabric is conveyed by the upwardly inclined portion 16 of the apron 16 over the roll 18, where it is brackets 57 extending rom the frame 2 opposite the feed side 30 of the machine.

A dofl'er-roller 58, held on arms 59 mounted on the roll 17, has a gear 60 in mesh with a gear 61 keyed to said roll whereby it is driven in contact with the drum 5 to prevent accidental climbing or sticking of fabrics.

upon its periphery. Springs 62 fixed to frame .2 at 63 draw the arms 59 to cause the rotating doffer-roller to bear ressingly against thedrum. A similar do er.-roll 64, 65 ifrmesh with a gear 66f machine is in operation and the required pressure of said 'aprons against the drums 5 1s effected. Asit is, desirable for 1 and the'preservation of the aprons to maintain them slackened. and out of-contact with the hot. drum while the machine is not in use, gears 69 are mounted rotatably on said slack rolls and are n mesh with racks 7 01fixed to frame 2,-so that when said gears are rotated, means of hand-wheels 71 fixed thereto, the slack rolls may be raisedrand the aprons .properly ,slackened; said rolls being maindeposited in finishedv condition upon a delivery table 56 fixed to fixed to frame 2 tamed raised by any suitable means, such as by t in a counterweight to therims of the han-we'els. The aprons 8 and '16, which are about as wide as the drums have'a tendency to shift the right V or left, and this shifting tendency, characteristicin machines of this kind, occurs to such an extent as to interfere seriously with th working of the machine, and sometimes destroys the aprons. To obviate such undue amount of lateral shifting automatic mechanism is provided for each apron, shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6. Said mechanism includes the apron-control guide-roll 11 or 23. The end of said-roll remote from said mechanism is pivoted in a bearing 72 of the frame 2, and its opposite journal 73 is held in a bearing box 7 4, of the mechanism, slidable parallelly to the apron in a channeled'portion 75 of a base-plate 76 fixed to the fram 2, so that by sliding said box the roll may be swung angularly to-the a ron about the bearing 72. Within the box 74 are rotatably-Inounted rollers 77, and the journal 73 having a grooved portion 78 is seated and runs upon said rollers, which constitute a bearing for the roll.

Dogs 79 and 80 depend from a hub 81 which is pivoted eccentrically to the extremity of the journal 73 by means of the stud 82. A lever 83 has a rock-shaft84: forming part thereof fulcrumed at 85 on the box 74, and its opposite arm 86 extending from said shaft loops around so that its extremity 87 engages the forked end 88 of an arm 89 extending from the hub 81, whereby the rising of said lever will cause the dog 80 to engage a cooperating toothed portion 90 provided on the base-plate 76, whilevthe falling of the lever will cause the dog 79 to engage a similar cooperating portion 91 thereof.

The lever 83 is provided with a thickened cylindrical end 92, made preferably of wood and of a required weight, which continually rests upon the edge 93 of the apron, a weight 94 adjustable along an extension 83 of the lever serving to counterweigh the end 92 to an extent, if found necessary. Assuming that the apron in its shiftingtendency shifts in the direction of the mechanism, the lever 83 will rise thereby and the dog 80 caused to engage its toothed portion 90, so that for every revolution made by the roll its eccentricity with the hub 81 will cause the box 74 to slide and said roll to swing angularly for a distance of one tooth 90 to the left of a perpendicular to the apron, as viewed in the drawing. This angular swinging will continue until a maximum point is reached when said angularity will cause a recession of the apron and it will shift oppositely and cause a gradual falling back of the lever 83.

For an interval, therefore, the apron runs true, during which time the dogs 79 80 are disposed in the inactive position shown in Fig. 1. As the apron-shifting in the opposite direction however continues, the lever 83 falls farther, and the dog 79 is thereby caused to engage the portion 91, whereby the opposite effect takes place and the roll is sv. ung to the right of a perpendicular to the apron which again restores the. true running of the apron. Such deliberate predetermined shifting of the apron in both directions is in this way continually effected by the said controlling mechanism, which is automatically operated by the apron itself in its shifting tendency, and the excessive lateral shifting of the apron is thereby prevented.

The pressure-rollers 28 are mounted in bearings 95, Fig. 2, which are slidable in guiding-Ways 96 of guides 97, forming part of the machine frame 2, that extend radially from the center of drum 1; Air cylinders 98 are secured to said guides, at each end of the pressure-roller, by means of a flange 99 of the cylinder being bolted thereto, and pistons 100 cooperating with the cylinders have their piston-rods 101 secured to the bearings 95, by means of heads 102 of said rods fitting 5 l in jaws 103 on said bearings. A plug 104: threading into the top of the cylinder serves as a cylinder-head, and offers a convenient means of assembling during construction.

When the machine is in operation during ironing, compressed air is admitted intothe cylinder 98'through the port 105 from an air compressor, and a required pressure is maintained above the piston 100 and transmitted to roller 28, whereby suitable pressure of said rollers against the intervening fabrics and the periphery of the drum 1 is affected. With this utilization of aircfor said pressure rollers absolutely uniform pressure is applied at each end of the rollers at all times, and even if an immoderately thick fabric be forced to pass under said rollers the pressure would still remain uniform, and such maintenance of uniform pressure is conducive to the production of even and uniformly fine grade of ironing work.

When the machine is not in use the air above the pistons 100 is allowed to exhaust and compressed air is admitted below said pistons through ports 106, so that the pistons are shifted to the opposite ends of cylinders 98 and the rollers 28 thus lifted and maintained away from the drum 1 to preserve Itlheir felt peripheries from injury by its eat.

' The chains 48 have considerable slack to compensate for the increased distance between the centers of their sprockets when the rollers are lifted. While the machine is in operation said slack is 107, Fig. 1, carried on links 108 being drawn against said chains by springs 109 fixed to the frame 2.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. An ironing machine having the combination of a revoluble heated drum at the taken up by rollers passing and reversing base of the machine, a revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, means coacting with said higher drum for initially ironing one side of the goods, means for the goods from said higher drum to said lowerdrum, and means coacting with said lower drum for ironing the opposite side of the goods.

2. An ironing machine having the combination of a revoluble heated drum at the base of the machine, a similar revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, pressure rollers and a running apron coacting with said higher drum for initially ironing one side of the goods, and an apron coacting with said lower drum and running together with its periphery for similarly ironing the opposite side of the goods.

3. An ironing machine having the combination of'a revoluble heated drum, a revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, a running apron -coacting with said higher drum for initially ironing one side of the goods, and an apron coacting with said lower drum and running together with its periphery for similarly ironing the opposite side of the goods.

4. An ironing machine having the combination of a revoluble heated drum, a revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, an, apron for each of said drums, .a drive roll for each of said aprons for positively driving said aprons together with the drum peripheries, means to feed the goods to the upper side of said higher drum, and said drums being arranged whereby the goods are carried around said higher drum and toward the feed side of the machine to iron one side thereof,'then downwardly to.

40said lower drum, then around this drum toward the delivery side of the machine to similarly iron the opposite side thereof.

5. Ari-ironing machine having the com-- higher drum,

bination of a revoluble bination of a revoluble heated drum at the base of the machine, a revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, an apron coacting with each of said drums and running together with its periphery, pressure rollers coacting with the upper side of said and said aprons .being arranged to pass the goods around the higher drum toward the feed side of the machine to iron one side thereof, then downwardly to said lower drum, then around this drum toward the, delivery side of the machine to similarly iron the opposite side of the goods.

6'. An ironing machine having the comheated drum at the base of the machine, a similar revoluble heated drum superposed above said lower drum, an apron coacting with each of said drums and running together with its periph ery, means to feed the goods to the upper side of said higher drum, andsaid aprons being arranged whereby the goods are carried around said higher drum-and toward the feed side of the machine to iron one sif e thereof, then downwardly-to said lower drum, then around this drum toward the d livery side of the machine to similarly iron the opposite side thereof, each of said aprons having an extension running over guide rolls at the delivery side of the machine. and controlling mechanism for each of said extensions cooperating therewith to prevent undue shifting of the aprons.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 31st day of January, A. D.-1913.'

THERESA S. WENDELL,

Arlmz'nistmtm'w 0f the estate of Fred 0.

Wendell.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. LA RUE,. B. ROMAN. 

